Dress it up

Marciano in the Galleria has plenty of glitz and glamour in their clothes. Even the shoes will make you sparkle.

Sometimes those hot jeans just don’t do the trick when it comes to putting together the perfect going-out look. When a girl really wants to have fun, a dress always fits the fashion bill. Sexy, flirty, modern or sweet, a dress can do no wrong.

Two new stores are stocking their racks with frocks to suit practically any mood.

Guess’s Marciano on the third floor of Galleria I will wow women looking for Vegas-style glitz. With few exceptions, the dresses are short and the colors are bright. The store is certainly not for wallflowers, but who wants to blend in on a night out anyway?

Marciano’s clothing shines with satin tops ($68 to $118) and sweaters that defy the typical styles, such as keyhole sleeveless and belted flutter sleeve looks ($98 to $128.) Pants ($98 to $148) and skirts ($88 to $138) are mere backdrops, longing to be paired with something bold.

The body-conscious dresses range from Missoni-inspired knits ($168) to silk floral print mini dresses ($158.) The store also carries a number of toppers including a smart tweed belted cape ($258) and an updated wool coat with edgy zippers running across it ($278). Rabbit fur is also prevalent in Marciano coats and vests. The shoe wall is stacked with footwear appropriate for both work and play, but a pair of purple satin cut-out wedge heels ($220) were among the best of the bunch. The staff is quick to help shoppers. Marciano’s sizes range from extra small to large.

On the other end of the dress spectrum is Sweetheart Boutique on Morningside in Rice Village.

The small space is decorated with antiques that allow the clothes to take center stage. Store owner and fashion student Rachel Ryman opened the shop as a way to celebrate being a girl, and the dress-heavy shop doesn’t disappoint.

Chiffon, silk and crocheted fabric reign supreme here, as do pieces with fanciful and feminine embellishments. Ryman has hard-to-find dresses from French Connection as well as a slew of cocktail offerings from California designer Meghan Fabulous. The Meghan Fabulous dresses are different in a subtly sexy way and popular on the red carpet. Dresses by Coreylynn Calter are also worth checking out.

“These are going out, party dresses that you won’t find any place else,” Ryman said.

Dresses start at $168 and climb to the $400 range. Sizes range from small to large and sizes two to 10. While not as sleek as Marciano, Sweetheart is completely charming, right down to the shop’s mascot, a well-behaved mixed Lab named Ruby who wastes no time making your acquaintance.